MONTGOMERY -- A prosecutor in the State House corruption trial told jurors Tuesday that casino owner Milton McGregor bribed lawmakers to protect his millions in gambling profits, while a trio of state senators were willing to put their votes on the auction block for campaign contributions.

"These defendants are guilty. They corrupted the Alabama Legislature. They robbed each and every Alabama citizen of the right to honest government," prosecutor Edward T. Kang said as he concluded his closing argument.

But defense lawyers fired back, saying the prosecution's star witness, Country Crossing developer Ronnie Gilley, was "one of the biggest con men this state has ever seen" and the rest of the case was based on assumptions and sound bites of calls taken out of context.

"The only people who have committed crimes are the people that the government has made deals with," said Bill Baxley, a lawyer representing lobbyist Tom Coker.

Closing arguments began Tuesday and will continue today in the case accusing McGregor and five others of offering or accepting bribes -- largely in the form of campaign contributions -- in connection with a 2010 gambling bill. The bill was aimed at letting electronic bingo casinos operated by McGregor and others stay open by authorizing a statewide referendum on the legality of the slot machine look-alikes.

Kang began his closing argument by quoting expletive-filled statements by McGregor that were captured in FBI recordings as he talked about his need to get legislation approved since a state task force was trying to shut down the casinos.

Kang said McGregor and Gilley found willing recipients of bribes in a trio of state senators -- Sen. Harri Anne Smith, I-Slocomb, and former state Sens. Larry Means, D-Attalla, and Jim Preuitt, R-Talladega -- who were facing tough elections.

Gilley, who testified for prosecutors after pleading guilty to multiple felonies, said he worked closely with McGregor to bribe legislators.

But a lawyer for Coker told jurors that Gilley was "one of the biggest con men this state has ever seen."

"Ronnie Gilley used lies and people to get what he wants and he is trying to use you to get a lesser sentence. Don't be Ronnie Gilley's pawn," Coker lawyer David McKnight said.

McKnight said the testimony of Gilley and lobbyist Jennifer Pouncy was "bought and paid for" because they are seeking prosecutors' help getting lesser prison sentences.

"Actually, it is on lay-away," McKnight said, noting that they won't be sentenced until after the trial.

Pouncy testified that she offered bribes to Means and Preuitt to secure their votes on a gambling bill.

Preuitt initially didn't respond, Pouncy said, when she offered him $2 million in campaign contributions. But after conversations with other casino associates, Preuitt inquired whether the commitment would stand even if the bill failed in the House of Representatives, she said.

Pouncy testified that Means asked her for $100,000 and he implied that the money was for his vote.

But defense lawyers for Means and Preuitt told jurors there was never any verbal agreement expressed by anyone that the money was in exchange for the votes.

Pouncy was making assumptions about what Means meant, defense lawyer Bill Clark said.

"I beg you, ladies and gentlemen, don't convict on the basis of that kind of evidence," Clark said.

Smith lawyer Jim Parkman brought out courtroom theatrics to ridicule the prosecution's case. He did a David Letterman-style Top Ten List of the evidence against Smith.

Parkman told jurors that Smith changed her official position on a Wiregrass casino because the project was popular in her district and not because of bribes from Gilley, as prosecutors have alleged.

"She did it for a simple reason. Her voters in her district wanted to vote one way or the other," Parkman said.

Parkman also pointed out that, at one point in the trial, Gilley corrected his testimony about Smith, saying he remembered other bribes that Smith was involved with and that he had not testified about the previous day. Gilley said he remembered the omissions after court when he was eating a chicken salad sandwich.

Parkman joked that it must be a miracle cure for memory loss. He plopped a chicken salad sandwich on the courtroom podium as he concluded his argument, a parting gift to prosecutors

Former Country Crossing spokesman Jay Walker's attorney said the case against his client boils down to "eight words" in one phone call taken from more than 12,000 wiretapped calls.

Walker in the call told a casino lobbyist that he offered to do a poll for Preuitt and said, "I said all I need is your vote."

Defense lawyer Susan James questioned the idea that casino owners would send a stranger such as Walker to make a bribe offer to a skittish state senator he didn't know.

"As my Granddaddy used to say, in Alabama, that dog won't hunt." James told jurors.

Closing arguments resume this morning. McGregor's defense will make their closing argument, followed by prosecutors' rebuttal statements.